| When you go to a lumber yard or any place selling | | | | seconds flooring, on the other hand, is cut from the |
| hardwood flooring, you probably notice that the | | | | outside and, as a result, more color imperfections, |
| wood is sold in different grades. What do these | | | | such as streaks and knots, are more present. This |
| mean? Typically, the top grades are listed as "select | | | | causes many manufacturers to label it as not up to |
| and better" and "clear" and lesser grades are marked | | | | grade and, instead, the wood ends up being sold with |
| "cabin," "tavern," "and character grades." If you're | | | | a character, tavern, or cabin grade attached. |
| interested in adding hardwood flooring to your home | | | | If you're considering adding cabin grade flooring to |
| but can't afford the top grades, discount wood is | | | | your home, one aspect needs to be kept in mind: |
| often the way to go. But, with three different | | | | The amount. Although the quality of the flooring is |
| grades listed, how do you know which one you | | | | satisfactory, the chances of having an unusable board |
| should choose? | | | | in the flooring you buy increases. The price for any |
| At a lumber yard or hardwood flooring retailer, wood | | | | factory seconds or cabin grade flooring is significantly |
| marked with a cabin, tavern, or character grade is all | | | | less than higher grades, but purchasing ten percent |
| the same quality, and, generally, is marked in the | | | | more is often recommended to cover up any |
| overall category of factory seconds. But, if you | | | | defective boards. |
| consider where factory second flooring fits in overall, | | | | One benefit, aside from price, for purchasing cabin |
| the higher grades for unfinished and prefinished | | | | grade hardwood flooring is the variety available. Many |
| varieties often mean the wood comes from the | | | | retailers carry domestic and exotic varieties of wood, |
| center of the tree and is nearly blemish-free. Factory | | | | and this includes lower grade factory seconds. |